Two second-half goals sent Oxford City crashing to defeat at Boston United, stretching their winless run in Skrill North to eight games, writes MATTHEW BRUCE.

City, who gave a debut to goalkeeper Matthew Bulman, signed from Forest Green Rovers on loan, were in charge for much of the match and deservedly led at the break thanks to a Zac McEachran effort.

But a Ricky Miller penalty followed by a Conor Marshall strike in the last 20 minutes meant City left with nothing.

After withstanding some heavy pressure in the opening minutes when Marc Newsham could twice have given the hosts the lead, City began to take control.

Lively winger Viv Solomon-Otabor, making his City debut after signing on loan recently from Birmingham City, cut inside before firing off a rasping left-footed shot, which struck the outside of a post.

Boston had the woodwork to thank again minutes later as captain Darren Pond saw his 25-yard effort cannon back off the opposite upright.

But City finally gained the advantage five minutes before half-time when McEach-ran’s scuffed shot trickled in via a post.

And they almost doubled their lead five minutes after the break when a flick-on from Mike Symons came back off the inside of the far post and into the grateful arms of goalkeeper Lewis King.

But the home side finally clicked into gear and, after Michael Pook was forced to clear Carl Piergianni’s header off the line, Boston began to gain the ascendancy.

They were handed a lifeline after 67 minutes when Miller was tripped in the area by Lee Henderson, before getting up to calmly slot home the penalty.

Ten minutes later the turnaround was complete, Miller again beating Henderson before shooting, and although Bulman palmed his effort away, Marshall was on hand to prod home the rebound.

City thought they had equalised deep into injury time when substitute Steve Basham headed in, but his effort was disallowed for a push on the goalkeeper.